De-Escalation

Have seen a couple of articles lately (such as this one at USCCA) which have been talking of the need for de-escalation skills.

The gist of the article is we are living in a more ‘aggressive’ time than in our past. Popular media and culture rewards people who ‘get in your face’ and ‘assert their rights’ in an overly aggressive manner. Being quiet, not looking for the spotlight seem to be denigrated. An example is the amount of flaming done on online forums. Ad hominem attacks seem to be on the rise (attack the person, not the issues), especially in our political discourse.

Here are a couple of quotes from the article I thought relevant.1. “I was never taught to get emotional about a threat whether it be natural forces, a human threat or an animal threat. I was not taught to posture. I was taught to deal with threats quickly and logically in order to protect my life and the lives of my loved ones. However, all around me now I see people arguing, posturing and even fighting in public with total disregard to consequences. I see such lack in impulse control.”

2. ‘This is written as a warning to everyone reading it. If revenge and settling matters to a standard of emotional satisfaction are part of your operational protocols, then you greatly increase your odds of needing to use that carry weapon, and you increase your odds of dying. Also, you increase the odds of family and friends with you dying as collateral damage due to escalating such situations.”

3. “Be careful who you engage in any sort of confrontational manner whether it be body language, verbally or in the language of road rage using your motor vehicle as the extension of your body. The next time you feel the adrenalin start to pump, control it. Do not let it control you. Think of the things coming out of your mouth before they slip passed your tongue. The physiological fight or flight response of an adrenaline dump is actually a bad thing to have going on when it does come time to physically defend yourself. In many people, it will shut down their ability to use fine motors skills needed to successfully manipulate a firearm during a lethal threat encounter.”

In closing, as practitioners of some sort of self protective arts, we are expected to remain calm, look at the situation as dispassionately as we can, and look for the least amount of force to effect a solution. Are your daily actions in congruence with this? Just something to think about.